Paper short abstract:

Climatic conditions influence deeply artisanal fishing practices in Eastern Patagonia. I propose that weather is not only an object of perception, but also a driver of fishermen’s creativity to face perpetual change, unforeseen events and intrinsic unpredictability.

Paper long abstract:

Weather is a major factor in the life of fishermen. This is particularly true for low technology methods of fishing in the windy Eastern Patagonia.

After a brief description of the strong influences of climatic conditions on these fishing practices, I propose that weather is to be considered not only as a fundamental object of perception, but also as a driver of creativity to face constant change, the unforeseen and the unpredictable.

Wind is the protagonist of local fishermen conversations about weather, since it often impedes fishing. More rare but equally problematic, rains make impassable dirt roads to the beaches. Sun and warm temperatures, as well as a full moon in a clear sky, make fish rot.

These and many more threats demand fishermen to pay continuous attention to weather. They do so through a multi-sensorial observation of the environment whose changes (e.g. changing colours of seawater) allow them to perceive the weather. This perception, in turn, is fundamental to forecast the upcoming weather.

Nevertheless, there is an intrinsic dose of unpredictability to which fishermen react with creativity, to respond to unexpected conditions. Flexibility characterizes their relation with time. Daily, fishing trips are postponed or suspended as the result of personal predictions mixed with internet ones (based on weather forecast models). Flexibility is needed also to cope with seasons that are loosing their characteristics to the point that fish lifecycles are changing and boundaries between different fishing seasons are disappearing, implying the need to adjust fishing techniques, tools and markets.